What are you currently reading? Post here!

All of these are for college classes:

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
Tartuffe by Moliere
Mary Rowlandson's Captivity Narrative

I also picked up Snow Crash, but who knows when I will ever get a chance to read that with a heavy read-load from my classes.
 
Finished Already Gone. Much like Rector's other book I read a while back, The Grove, it was a quick easy read but kind of petered out toward the end.

Started:

51dyFlwIT3L._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_AA278_PIkin4,BottomRight,-47,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']Finished Already Gone. Much like Rector's other book I read a while back, The Grove, it was a quick easy read but kind of petered out toward the end.

Started:

51dyFlwIT3L._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_AA278_PIkin4,BottomRight,-47,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg
[/QUOTE]

You'll enjoy Ender's Game.
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']Yeah, I'm really liking it so far. Stayed up a bit too late reading it last night.

How are the sequels?[/QUOTE]

It's been about 15-20 years since I've read them but it was mostly diminishing returns. I remember the third book being really confusing with characters having multipule names and invented language.

Edit: I only read the three books in the Ender trilology. Never tried the side stories that came out later. Was pretty burned out on Card by then.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
[quote name='dmaul1114']Yeah, I'm really liking it so far. Stayed up a bit too late reading it last night.

How are the sequels?[/QUOTE]

I have only read Speaker for the Dead and Xenocide. Both were very good, although they are more philosophical than the Ender's game. I remember enjoying Speaker for the Dead quite a bit.
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']Yeah, I'm really liking it so far. Stayed up a bit too late reading it last night.

How are the sequels?[/QUOTE]

The direct sequels are nothing like Ender's Game and I hated them. The Shadow series is a much closer set of sequels and are all pretty good, if not samey.

I just finished "So It Goes" a bio of Kurt Vonnegut. He's one of my favorite authors and this was a pretty depressing look at his life.
 
After a few interruptions I finished The Five by Robert McCammon. His writing after his hiatus has been great. Usually he has the problem of doling out abrupt endings and the one to this book went on a bit too long.

It had some interesting insights into the music business and brought up some great philosophical discussions about the power of a good song
 
Blood Meridian was an... odd one for me. Lovely, lovely writing, but when you very blatantly tell your reader, "Each and every single character in this book is an asshole, and you will not like any of them," it's hard to keep going. I pushed on for the sheer spectacle of it, and I'm glad I did, because the ending was great.

I then gave it to my dad - a lover of all things western - and he finished it in two days.
 
[quote name='gbpackers94']Should I read the Fight Club before I watch the movie?[/QUOTE]

I'd watch the movie first actually. Both are great, but it's one I recommend people to watch the movie first as I think you get more out of going into the movie blind rather than going into the book blind.
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']I'd watch the movie first actually. Both are great, but it's one I recommend people to watch the movie first as I think you get more out of going into the movie blind rather than going into the book blind.[/QUOTE]

Alright thanks.
 


Nothing special. Pretty flat one-dimensional characters. Very little suspense or tension. Almost has the feel of a Lifetime TV series. Picked it up at the library's new release section. Was hoping for more of a asian-noir feel, but zilch.

What's really odd is that it's the story of a half-japanese girl and her scottish boyfriend solving crimes. Written by a half-Indian woman. Racial confusion?
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']I'd watch the movie first actually. Both are great, but it's one I recommend people to watch the movie first as I think you get more out of going into the movie blind rather than going into the book blind.[/QUOTE]

Definitely movie first. Then watch the movie again as soon as possible. It's like an entirely different movie the second time through. Certain scenes/characters have wildly different impacts.
 
[quote name='crunchb3rry']Definitely movie first. Then watch the movie again as soon as possible. It's like an entirely different movie the second time through. Certain scenes/characters have wildly different impacts.[/QUOTE]

So: movie, book, movie? or movie, movie, book?
 
[quote name='gbpackers94']So: movie, book, movie? or movie, movie, book?[/QUOTE]

That doesn't matter. Just do the movie first.

[quote name='gbpackers94']Alright same question with game of thrones. Book first or tv show first? If book first how much does season 1 of the show go into book wise?[/QUOTE]

Book. Tons of names to keep straight etc. Easier to read the book first.
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']Book. Tons of names to keep straight etc. Easier to read the book first.[/QUOTE]

Okay. How many books should I read before I can watch the show?
 
[quote name='gbpackers94']Okay. How many books should I read before I can watch the show?[/QUOTE]

The first season only covered the first book. So just read A Game of Thrones and then you can watch the show and then read further to be ready for future seasons.
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']The first season only covered the first book. So just read A Game of Thrones and then you can watch the show and then read further to be ready for future seasons.[/QUOTE]

I don't want to post this in the GoT TV thread but it has to be said: the book is SHITLOADS better than the show.

If you really enjoy reading GoT, I'd say skip the show entirely and put your entertainment hours into the next two books in the series. After you've finished Books 1-3, if you're still interested in the TV show, check it out.

Just know that the GoT show isn't "quality" TV in the way that other HBO shows are. It is highly polished schlock with decent source material.
 
[quote name='dothog']I don't want to post this in the GoT TV thread but it has to be said: the book is SHITLOADS better than the show.

If you really enjoy reading GoT, I'd say skip the show entirely and put your entertainment hours into the next two books in the series. After you've finished Books 1-3, if you're still interested in the TV show, check it out.

Just know that the GoT show isn't "quality" TV in the way that other HBO shows are. It is highly polished schlock with decent source material.[/QUOTE]

Emphasis on Books 1-3. I'm on the 4th right now and it's a struggle for me to get through this one.
 
[quote name='RockinTheRedDog']Emphasis on Books 1-3. I'm on the 4th right now and it's a struggle for me to get through this one.[/QUOTE]

The fourth book was the worse. The fifth one was better but still nowhere as good as the first three.
 
Just finished Robopocalypse. It wasn't Dickens but it was one of the funnest books I've read in awhile. Think of it as a cross between World War Z and Terminator. I would love to see a film adaptation of it.
 
[quote name='kill3r7']The fourth book was the worse. The fifth one was better but still nowhere as good as the first three.[/QUOTE]

I disagree, though I know I'm in the minority.

I've loved all the books. The fourth is not everyone's cup of tea because of the characters it follow, but I loved spending time with them just as much as all the other characters. Unlike Wheel of Time, where I grew to dread certain characters, I was always glad when I turned the page and found who would be the center of the new chapter.

To me, Game of Thrones is not about resolving a plot. That's interesting, of course, but it's all about characterization, detail, and getting inside the heads of the people in the books.
 
[quote name='blandstalker']I disagree, though I know I'm in the minority.

I've loved all the books. The fourth is not everyone's cup of tea because of the characters it follow, but I loved spending time with them just as much as all the other characters. Unlike Wheel of Time, where I grew to dread certain characters, I was always glad when I turned the page and found who would be the center of the new chapter.

To me, Game of Thrones is not about resolving a plot. That's interesting, of course, but it's all about characterization, detail, and getting inside the heads of the people in the books.[/QUOTE]

We agree to disagree. IMO, Feast for Crows did not add to the plotline or character development in any meanigful way. It introduced too many new characters and shifted the focus off many favorite characters. I enjoyed the Jamie, Brienne and Arya parts but more than a quarter of the book was devoted to Cercei who I loathe. It was as though George was planting the seed for future acts that will determine the fate of the realm. With that said, I think books 4 and 5 are greatly improved if read jointly following a linear timeline.

Link to reading books 4 & 5 side by side. I don't recommend doing this prior to reading each book individually. Link
 
Read this on my bus ride to work this morning ..


The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate by Ted Chiang


What should I read next? Here's a list of the unread books on my Kindle right now:

Steve Jobs
It
Heart of Darkness
The Architecture of the Ozarks
Empire State
Debris
Page from a Tennessee Journal
Gotham: A History of NYC
These is My Words
The Way of Shadows
The Grove
The Eden Hunter
Gardens of the Moon: Book one of the Malazan Book of the Fallen
Revelation Space
Mass Effect: Ascension
The Blade Itself: The First Law Book 1
Free Will Flux
The Shadow and Night
The Night's Dawn Trilogy
The Void Trilogy
 
Not that thread activity isn't welcome, but if you guys want to talk ASOIAF, we have a thread devoted specifically to discussion of the books.

I hope you'll continue this discussion there, as I love discussing the books and learning about all the theories/perspectives people have on the books. I got the feeling in that thread that either nobody cared or I was doing so much posting that I was dampening the enthusiasm of the people who did care. So please chime in!

In book news, I've been reading the Island in a Sea of Time series by S.M. Sterling. I really like the first part of the first book, but I hate how the author felt like there needed to be a plain vanilla "bad guy." Such a waste of a good setting and an interesting premise.
 
As far as ASOIAF, I'm with those who loved the first 3, but was let down with books 4 and 5.

As for the TV show, I thought what I saw (the first 6 or so episodes) were fantastic. Great adaptation of the books, and I can't wait to get it on Blu and watch it all next moth.


Maklershed, the only ones of those I've read is The Grove and the Mass Effect book. The Grove is just ok, but is a very quick read. The Mass Effect books aren't anything great, but are an ok read if you're a big fan of the games.

I want to read the Steve Jobs bio at some point.
 
[quote name='Maklershed']Read this on my bus ride to work this morning ..


The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate by Ted Chiang


What should I read next? Here's a list of the unread books on my Kindle right now:

Steve Jobs
It
Heart of Darkness
The Architecture of the Ozarks
Empire State
Debris
Page from a Tennessee Journal
Gotham: A History of NYC
These is My Words
The Way of Shadows
The Grove
The Eden Hunter
Gardens of the Moon: Book one of the Malazan Book of the Fallen
Revelation Space
Mass Effect: Ascension
The Blade Itself: The First Law Book 1
Free Will Flux
The Shadow and Night
The Night's Dawn Trilogy
The Void Trilogy[/QUOTE]

Can definately recommend Revelation Space and Blade Itself. Revelation Space is a little hard to get into. It's the first book in a series but makes you feel like you're missing some previous info.

Gardens of the Moon is okay, but it's a 10 book series. Brutal and bloody. Confusing character names and magic/belief systems.

Wage of Shadows is good but really relies on some convient contrivances.

I wish I read more non-fiction.
 
Currently reading:



Delightfully weird. Abstract. At times it seems like the writer is a little in love with his own language. It's also sort of a "throw you into the deep end" type of book, where you're just immersed in this world and the explination of who these differnt races/speices are only shows up later. Some authors take paragraphs or pages explaining each alien species the first time they're introduced. This isn't one of those books.
 
[quote name='Mr Unoriginal']Reading Hell's Angels by Hunter S. Thompson. It's entertaining but the writing style is not the Gonzo journalism that I expect from Thompson.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, that was his first book and isn't Gonzo at all.

It's a very good read, but it's just a piece of immersion journalism. I actually read it for the first time in an immersive reporting class as an undergrad.
 
[quote name='Mr Unoriginal']Reading Hell's Angels by Hunter S. Thompson. It's entertaining but the writing style is not the Gonzo journalism that I expect from Thompson.[/QUOTE]


One of my all time favorite books.
 
[quote name='Mr Unoriginal']Reading Hell's Angels by Hunter S. Thompson. It's entertaining but the writing style is not the Gonzo journalism that I expect from Thompson.[/QUOTE]

The book that cemented Thompson’s reputation as the premier journalist of the strange, deviant and crazed. Although not in the style of Gonzo journalism, you can still see the begins of it throughout the book. A very insightful read. Great book.
 
[quote name='DOMINATOR912']fuck that clown. Gave me nightmares through most of my childhood.[/QUOTE]


Ha yeah I'm only 5% in so far and its pretty damn creep already. Just imagine looking down over a poorly lit bridge to see a clown standing in the middle of a creek with a baloon in his hand staring back at you. :cold:
 
Yeah, MSUHitman already posted about it in another thread, so I'll avoid that book.

I didn't think the first 3 Mass Effect novels where anything great anyway.
 
Has anybody read the Malazan books (by Erickson)? I know they get a lot of praise from high fantasy fans, but I'm wondering what a more middle-of-the-road reader thinks. This thread is usually good for that kind of perspective, people read a lot of different books without getting bound to a genre.

So if anyone's read them, I'd appreciate your thoughts. Thanks!
 
[quote name='dothog']Has anybody read the Malazan books (by Erickson)? I know they get a lot of praise from high fantasy fans, but I'm wondering what a more middle-of-the-road reader thinks. This thread is usually good for that kind of perspective, people read a lot of different books without getting bound to a genre.

So if anyone's read them, I'd appreciate your thoughts. Thanks![/QUOTE]

I've read 3 or 4 of them and they're okay. They're dark, bloody and violent. They're also very confusing. There are like 10 differnt races, all with their own belif systems, schools of magic and what not. Two of the races have very similar names.

I had to keep this open during reading the books. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invading_races_from_the_Malazan_Book_of_the_Fallen_series
I mean, there's like 4 different races that start with Tiste.

The characters are good and believable though with decent character arcs to their stories instead of the standard "hero goes on a journey" fantasy trope.
 
[quote name='eldergamer']The characters are good and believable though with decent character arcs to their stories instead of the standard "hero goes on a journey" fantasy trope.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, this is what I've heard from a friend who's admittedly a hardcore fantasy reader. He only acknowledged the difficulties you (and others on the internet) pointed out by stating that the first book could be "tough to get through." Riiiight.

I think I might tackle the first and see how it goes.

EDIT: I wound up going into Joe Abercrombie's First Law series. Yep, I've been feeling like fantasy lately. I'm not a big fan of Abercrombie's writing style, which aims to mimic an oral storytelling more than provide detailed descriptions, but I love his characters, especially Glokta and Jezal. He still uses a few familiar types (the world-weary barbarian, the crafty magus), but overall he's not afraid to advance a story using bold characters that have been made original by piecing together other tropes and simply making these characters a focus. I love it when a compelling story is told from the perspective of a character I don't respect.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
You must log in or register to reply here.
bread's done
Back
Top